Top

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

Published in:

Open Access 01-08-2017 | Original Article

Exploring Individual Differences in Online Addictions: the Role of Identity and Attachment

Authors: Lucia Monacis, Valeria de Palo, Mark D. Griffiths, Maria Sinatra

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction | Issue 4/2017

Abstract

Research examining the development of online addictions has grown greatly over the last decade with many studies suggesting both risk factors and protective factors. In an attempt to integrate the theories of attachment and identity formation, the present study investigated the extent to which identity styles and attachment orientations account for three types of online addiction (i.e., internet addiction, online gaming addiction, and social media addiction). The sample comprised 712 Italian students (381 males and 331 females) recruited from schools and universities who completed an offline self-report questionnaire. The findings showed that addictions to the internet, online gaming, and social media were interrelated and were predicted by common underlying risk and protective factors. Among identity styles, ‘informational’ and ‘diffuse-avoidant’ styles were risk factors, whereas ‘normative’ style was a protective factor. Among attachment dimensions, the ‘secure’ attachment orientation negatively predicted the three online addictions, and a different pattern of causal relationships were observed between the styles underlying ‘anxious’ and ‘avoidant’ attachment orientations. Hierarchical multiple regressions demonstrated that identity styles explained between 21.2 and 30% of the variance in online addictions, whereas attachment styles incrementally explained between 9.2 and 14% of the variance in the scores on the three addiction scales. These findings highlight the important role played by identity formation in the development of online addictions.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: American Psychiatric Association.CrossRef

Andreassen, C. S. (2015). Online social network site addiction: A comprehensive review. Current Addiction Reports, 2(2), 175–184. doi:10.1007/s40429-015-0056-9.

Andreassen, C. S., Torsheim, T., Brunborg, G. S., & Pallesen, S. (2012). Development of a Facebook addiction scale. Psychological Reports, 110, 501–517. doi:10.2466/02.09.18.PR0.110.2.501-517.CrossRefPubMed

Andreassen, C. S., Griffiths, M. D., Gjertsen, S. R., Krossbakken, E., Kvam, S., & Pallesen, S. (2013). The relationships between behavioral addictions and the five-factor model of personality. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 2(2), 90–99. doi:10.1556/JBA.2.2013.003.CrossRefPubMed

Andreassen, C. S., Billieux, J., Griffiths, M. D., Kuss, D. J., Demetrovics, Z., Mazzoni, E., & Pallesen, S. (2016). The relationship between addictive use of social media and video games and symptoms of psychiatric disorders: A large-scale cross-sectional study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 30(2), 252. doi:10.1037/adb0000160.

Arabzadeh, M., Bayanati, M., Nikdel, F., Nadery, M. S., & Naimi, G. (2012). The relationship of internet addiction with loneliness and identity styles. Journal of Science and Today’s World, 1(1), 59–70.

Bartholomew, K. (1990). Avoidance of intimacy: An attachment perspective. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 7(2), 147–178.

Bartholomew, K., & Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults. A test of a four category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 226–244.CrossRefPubMed

Berzonsky, M. D. (1989). Identity style: Conceptualization and measurement. Journal of Adolescent Research, 4, 267–281. doi:10.1177/074355488943002.

Berzonsky, M. D. (1990). Self-construction over the lifespan: A process perspective on identity formation. In G. J. Neimeyer & R. A. Neimeyer (Eds.), Advances in personal construct theory (Vol. 1, pp. 155–186). Greenwich: JAI.

Berzonsky, M. D. (2011). A social-cognitive perspective on identity construction. In S. J. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles (Eds.), Handbook of identity theory and research (pp. 55–76). Springer: New York.CrossRef

Berzonsky, M. D., Soenens, B., Luyckx, K., Smits, I., Papini, D. R., & Goossens, L. (2013). Development and validation of the revised identity style inventory (ISI-5): Factor structure, reliability, and validity. Psychological Assessment, 25(3), 893–904. doi:10.1037/a0032642.

Bosma, H. A., & Kunnen, E. S. (2001). Determinants and mechanisms in ego identity development: A review and synthesis. Developmental Review, 21(1), 39–66. doi:10.1006/drev.2000.0514.

Bowlby, J. (1969/1982). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. NY: Basic Books.

Bowlby, J. (1973). Attachment and loss: Vol. 2. Separation: anxiety and anger. NY: Basic Books.

Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Vol. 3. Sadness and depression. NY: Basic Books.

Brezing, C., Derevensky, J. L., & Potenza, M. N. (2010). Non-substance addictive behaviors in youth: Pathological gambling and problematic internet use. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 19(3), 625–641. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2010.03.012.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Cerniglia, L., Zoratto, F., Cimino, S., Laviola, G., Ammaniti, M., & Adriani, W. (2016). Internet addiction in adolescence: Neurobiological, psychosocial and clinical issues. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.024.

Ceyhan, E. (2010). Predictiveness of identity status, main internet use purposes and gender on university students’ problematic internet use. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 10(3), 1343–1355.

Christopherson, B. B., Jones, R. M., & Sales, A. P. (1988). Diversity in reported motivations for substance use as a function of ego-identity development. Journal of Adolescent Research, 3(2), 141–152.CrossRef

Côté, J. E., & Levine, C. G. (2002). Identity formation, agency, and culture: A social psychological synthesis. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Doumen, S., Smits, I., Luyckx, K., Duriez, B., Vanhalst, J., Verschueren, K., & Goossens, L. (2012). Identity and perceived peer relationship quality in emerging adulthood: The mediating role of attachment-related emotions. Journal of Adolescence, 35(6), 1417–1425. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.01.003.

Elphinston, R. A., & Noller, P. (2011). Time to face it! Facebook intrusion and the implications for romantic jealousy and relationship satisfaction. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 14, 631–635. doi:10.1089/cyber.2010.031.CrossRefPubMed

Feeney, J. A., Noller, P., & Hanrahan, M. (1994). Assessing adult attachment. In M. B. Sperling & W. H. Berman (Eds.), Attachment in adults: clinical and developmental perspectives (pp. 128–152). New York: Guilford Press.

Fioravanti, G., & Casale, S. (2015). Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Italian internet addiction test. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(2), 120–128. doi:10.1089/cyber.2014.0493.CrossRef

Fossati, A., Feeney, J. A., Donati, D., Domini, N., Novella, L., et al. (2003). On the dimensionality of the attachment style questionnaire in Italian clinical and nonclinical participants. Journal of Social Personal Relationships, 20(1), 50–79. doi:10.1177/0265407503020001187.

Fuster, H., Carbonell, X., Pontes, H. M. & Griffiths, M. D. (2016). Spanish validation of the Internet Gaming Disorder-20 (IGD-20) Test. Computers in Human Behavior, 56, 215–224.

Goldstein, R. Z., & Volkow, N. D. (2011). Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex in addiction: Neuroimaging findings and clinical implications. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 12(11), 652–669. doi:10.1038/nrn3119.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Grant, J. E., Potenza, M. N., Weinstein, A., & Gorelick, D. A. (2010). Introduction to behavioral addictions. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 233–241. doi:10.3109/00952990.2010.491884.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Griffiths, M. D. (1995). Technological addictions. Clinical Psychology Forum, 76, 14–19.

Griffiths, M. D. (1996). Internet addiction: An issue for clinical psychology? Clinical Psychology Forum, 97, 32–36.

Griffiths, M. (1998). Internet addiction: Does it really exist? In J. Gackenbach (Ed.), Psychology and the internet: intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal applications (pp. 61–75). New York: Academic Press.

Griffiths, M. D. (1999). Internet addiction: Internet fuels other addictions. Student British Medical Journal, 7, 428–429.

Griffiths, M. (2000). Internet addiction - Time to be taken seriously? Addiction Research, 8(5), 413–418. doi:10.3109/16066350009005587.

Griffiths, M. D. (2005). A “components” model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework. Journal of Substance Use, 10(4), 191–197. doi:10.1080/14659890500114359.CrossRef

Griffiths, M. D. (2011). Behavioural addiction: The case for a biopsychosocial approach. Transgressive Culture, 1(1), 7–28.

Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Facebook addiction: Concerns, criticisms and recommendations. Psychological Reports, 110, 518–520.

Griffiths, M. D. (2013). Social networking addiction: Emerging themes and issues. Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy, 4, e118. doi:10.4172/2155-6105.1000e118.

Griffiths, M. D. (2014). Child and adolescent social gaming: What are the issues of concern. Education and Health, 32, 19–22.

Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Adolescent gambling and gambling-type games on social networking sites: Issues, concerns, and recommendations. Aloma: Revista de Psicologia, Ciències de L’educació i de L’esport Blanquerna, 33(2), 31–37.

Griffiths, M. D., Van Rooij, A., Kardefelt-Winther, D., Starcevic, V., Király, O., et al. (2016). Working towards an international consensus on criteria for assessing internet gaming disorder: A critical commentary on Petry et al (2014). Addiction, 111, 167–175.

Grotevant, H. D. (1987). Toward a process model of identity formation. Journal of Adolescent Research, 2, 203–222.CrossRef

Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524.CrossRefPubMed

Hojjat, S. K., Golmakani, E., Bayazi, M. H., Mortazavi, R., Khalili, M. N., & Akaberi, A. (2015). Personality traits and identity styles in methamphetamine-dependent women: A comparative study. Global Journal of Health Science, 8(1), 14–20. doi:10.5539/gjhs.v8n1p14.

Jenkins-Guarnieri, M. A., Wright, S. L., & Hudiburgh, L. M. (2012). The relationships among attachment style, personality traits, interpersonal competency, and Facebook use. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 33, 294–301. doi:10.1037/a0030946.CrossRef

Kormas, G., Critselis, E., Janikian, M., Kafetzis, D., & Tsitsika, A. (2011). Risk factors and psychosocial characteristics of potential problematic and problematic internet use among adolescents: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 11, 595. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-595.

Kuss, D. J., & Billieux, J. (2016). Technological addictions: Conceptualisation, measurement, etiology and treatment. Addictive Behaviors. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.04.005.

Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2011). Online social networking and addiction. A review of the psychological literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 8(9), 3528–3552. doi:10.3390/ijerph8093528.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Online gaming addiction in children and adolescents: A review of empirical research. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 1(1), 3–22. doi:10.1556/JBA.1.2012.1.1.

Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14, 311. doi:10.3390/ijerph14030311.

Kuss, D. J., Griffiths, M., Karila, L., & Billieux, J. (2014). Internet addiction: A systematic review of epidemiological research for the last decade. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 20(25), 4026–4052. doi:10.2174/13816128113199990617.

Lin, J. H. (2015). The role of attachment style in Facebook use and social capital: Evidence from university students and a national sample. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(3), 173–180. doi:10.1089/cyber.2014.0341.

Lin, J. H. (2016). Need for relatedness: a self-determination approach to examining attachment styles, Facebook use, and psychological well-being. Asian Journal of Communication, 26(2), 153–173. doi:10.1080/01292986.2015.1126749.CrossRef

Lin, M. P., Ko, H. C., & Wu, J. Y. W. (2011). Prevalence and psychosocial risk factors associated with internet addiction in a nationally representative sample of college students in Taiwan. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14(12), 741–746. doi:10.1089/cyber.2010.0574.CrossRef

Marcia, J. E. (1966). Development and validation of ego identity status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5, 551–558.CrossRef

Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change. New York: Guilford Press.

Monacis, L., de Palo, V., Griffiths, M. D., & Sinatra, M. (2016a). Validation of the internet gaming disorder scale-short form (IGDS9-SF) in an Italian-speaking people. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5(4), 683–690. doi:10.1556/2006.5.2016.083.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Monacis, L., de Palo, V., Di Nuovo, S., & Sinatra, M. (2016b). Validation of the rational and experiential multimodal inventory in the Italian context. Psychological Reports, 119(1), 242–262. doi:10.1177/0033294116657623.CrossRefPubMed

Monacis, L., de Palo, V., Sinatra, M., & Berzonsky, M. D. (2016c). The revised identity style inventory: Factor structure and validity in Italian speaking students. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(883), 1–7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00883.

Montag, C., Kirsch, P., Sauer, C., Markett, S., & Reuter, M. (2012). The role of the CHRNA4 gene in internet addiction: A case-control study. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 6(3), 191–195. doi:10.1097/ADM.0b013e31825ba7e7.

Morsünbül, Ü. (2014). Internet addiction in adolescence period: its relations with identity style and ruminative exploration. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 15(1), 77–83. doi:10.5455/apd.43504.CrossRef

Odacı, H., & Çıkrıkçı, Ö. (2014). Problematic internet use in terms of gender, attachment styles and subjective well-being in university students. Computers in Human Behavior, 32, 61–66. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.11.019.CrossRef

Oldmeadow, J. A., Quinn, S., & Kowert, R. (2013). Attachment style, social skills, and Facebook use amongst adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1142–1149. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.10.006.CrossRef

Pempek, T. A., Yermolayeva, Y. A., & Calvert, S. L. (2009). College students’ social networking experiences on Facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30(3), 227–238. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.010.CrossRef

Petry, N. M., Rehbein, F., Gentile, D. A., Lemmens, J. S., Rumpf, H. J., et al. (2014). An international consensus for assessing internet gaming disorder using the new DSM-5 approach. Addiction, 109, 1399–1406.CrossRefPubMed

Pfeil, U., Arjan, R., & Zaphiris, P. (2009). Age differences in online social networking—A study of user profiles and the social capital divide among teenagers and older users in MySpace. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 643–654. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2008.08.015.

Pontes, H. M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Measuring DSM-5 internet gaming disorder: Development and validation of a short psychometric scale. Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 137–143. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.006.

Pontes, H. M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2016). Portuguese validation of the internet gaming disorder scale –short-form. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(4), 288–293. doi:10.1089/cyber.2015.0605.CrossRef

Pontes, H., Király, O., Demetrovics, Z., & Griffiths, M. D. (2014). The conceptualisation and measurement of DSM-5 internet gaming disorder: The development of the IGD-20 test. PloS One, 9(10), e110137. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110137.

Raacke, J., & Bonds-Raacke, J. (2008). MySpace and facebook: applying the uses and gratifications theory to exploring friend-networking sites. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11, 169–174. doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0056.

Rom, E., & Alfasi, Y. (2014). The role of adult attachment style in online social network affect, cognition, and behavior. Journal of Psychology, 1(1), 24–34.

Schimmenti, A., Passanisi, A., Gervasi, A. M., Manzella, S., & Fama, F. I. (2014). Insecure attachment attitudes in the onset of problematic internet use among late adolescents. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 45(5), 588–595. doi:10.1007/s10578-013-0428-0.CrossRef

Severino, S., & Craparo, G. (2013). Internet addiction, attachment styles, and social self-efficacy. Global Journal of Psychology Research, 1, 9–16.

Shin, S. E., Kim, N. S., & Jang, E. Y. (2009). Comparison of problematic internet and alcohol use and attachment styles among industrial workers in Korea. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 12(6), 665–672. doi:10.1089/cyber.2010.0470.

Sinatra, M., de Palo, V., Contini, P., & Volpicella, V. (2016). Identity styles and internet-related addictive behaviors in adolescents. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 1161–1165.

Tabaraei, N., Nikoogoftar, M., & Minoosepehr, S. (2014). Determination of problematic internet use: Identity styles and social skills. IAU International Journal of Social Sciences, 4(3), 27–34.

Wang, C. W., Chan, C. L., Mak, K. K., Ho, S. Y., Wong, P. W., & Ho, R. T. (2014). Prevalence and correlates of video and internet gaming addiction among Hong Kong adolescents: A pilot study. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 874648. doi:10.1155/2014/874648.

White, J. M., Wampler, R. S., & Winn, K. I. (1998). The identity style inventory: A revision with a sixth-grade reading level (ISI-6G). Journal of Adolescent Research, 13(2), 223–245. doi:10.1177/0743554898132007.

White, J. M., Montgomery, M. J., Wampler, R. S., & Fischer, J. L. (2003). Recovery from alcohol or drug abuse: The relationship between identity styles and recovery behaviors. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 3(4), 325–345. doi:10.1207/S1532706XID0304_02.

Wittek, C. T., Finserås, T. R., Pallesen, S., Mentzoni, R. A., Hanss, D., Griffiths, M. D., & Molde, H. (2016). Prevalence and predictors of video game addiction: A study based on a national representative sample of gamers. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14(5), 672–686. doi:10.1007/s11469-015-9592-8.

Wu, T-Y., Lin, C-Y., Årestedt, K., Griffiths, M.D., Broström, A, Pakpour, A.H. (2017). Psychometric validation of the Persian Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form: does gender and hours spent gaming online affect the interpretations of item descriptions? Journal of Behavioral Addiction. doi:10.1556/2006.6.2017.025.

Yaakobi, E., & Goldenberg, J. (2014). Social relationships and information dissemination in virtual social network systems: An attachment theory perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 38, 127–135. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.05.025.

Young, K. (1996). Psychology of computer use: XL. Addictive use of the internet: A case that breaks the stereotype. Psychological Reports, 79, 899–902.

Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: the emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 1, 237–244.CrossRef

Young, K. (1999). Internet addiction: symptoms, evaluation and treatment. In L. VandeCreek & T. Jackson (Eds.), Innovations in clinical practice: A source book, 17 (pp. 19–31). Sarasota: Professional Resource Press.

Zamani, B. E., Abedini, Y., & Kheradmand, A. (2011). Internet addiction based on personality characteristics of high school students in Kerman, Iran. Addiction & Health, 3(3–4), 85–91.

Title: Exploring Individual Differences in Online Addictions: the Role of Identity and Attachment
Authors: Lucia Monacis
Valeria de Palo
Mark D. Griffiths
Maria Sinatra
Publication date: 01-08-2017
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction / Issue 4/2017
Print ISSN: 1557-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1882
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9768-5

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Exploring Individual Differences in Online Addictions: the Role of Identity and Attachment

Abstract

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2017

Emotional Processing in Individuals with Substance Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A Qualitative Study of Addiction Help-Seeking in People with Different Co-occurring Mental Disorders and Substance Use Problems

The Role of Family in Residential Treatment Patient Retention

Shake ‘N Bake: the Migration of ‘Pervitin’ to Ireland

Health Behaviours Among Users of Drugs: in a Brazilian Sample

Need for and Readiness to Implement a Performance Measurement System for South Africa’s Substance Abuse Treatment Services